6 Adventurous Activities in Costa Rica for Families
Costa Rica is an absolute paradise for outdoor adventure lovers. This includes families, because many adventure sports and outdoor activities in Costa Rica aren't too "extreme," making them suitable for slightly older kids, tweens and teens. While Costa Rica has always been a pretty good value on points, that's true now more than ever for families who have a Southwest Companion Pass because you can use your pass to fly internationally on Southwest to both San Jose (SJO) and Liberia (LIR) in Costa Rica.
Whether you get there on Southwest, or one of many other airlines that serves the country, here are our picks for the best Costa Rican adventures with your family.
1. Ziplining
Costa Rica's interior is covered in mountains dense with high-altitude cloud forests. They shelter a staggering amount of biodiversity (Costa Rica as a whole makes up a tiny 0.03% of the world's surface, yet houses 6% of its biodiversity). A fun way to experience the cloud forests is to go ziplining through them. You can look down at the forest floor below without disturbing anything that lives there, and get a different view of the treetops. There are many places around the country to try ziplining, but the Arenal area is one of the best.
Ziplining doesn't typically require great physical fitness as you are harnessed in and then just sort of fly. Depending on the operator, kids usually need to weigh at least 50 to 80 pounds to zipline by themselves.
2. Sea Kayaking
Older kids who are confident swimmers (and have good upper-body strength) can enjoy sea kayaking with dolphins, turtles and whales (or at least, try to spot them from the kayak). A particularly good place to try this is Marino Ballena Marine Park, off the coast of Uvita. The marine park is a mating ground for humpback whales between December and April, and funny enough, the point at which Uvita and Hermosa beaches meet forms the shape of a huge whale tail as seen from the air. There's a reef beneath the surface of the sea as well as mangrove forests that lead down to the beach. Tandem kayaks are available, so kids and parents can partner up.
3. White-Water Rafting
Costa Rica often makes into onto lists of the top 10 places in the world to go white-water rafting, and it's easy to see why. Warm waters fringed with jungle, abundant waterfalls, canyons, midsize rapids ... it doesn't get much better than this. The Rio Pacuare is one of the best: the class III and IV rapids provide a challenge without being too overwhelming. However, there is naturally some risk with white-water rafting, so many tour operators enforce a minimum age of 12 to 14 and use your discretion. Alternatively, the Corobicí River is a more appropriate destination for younger kids, as the river is more gentle.
4. Surfing
While Costa Rica is famous for some big surf breaks, with a lot of coastline, there are many great options for beginners. Kids who can swim confidently will enjoy learning to surf at a laid-back beach town. The beaches at Samara, Tamarindo and Manuel Antonio (all on the Pacific coast) are good places to start.
5. Jungle Walks and Hiking
With almost a quarter of the country covered in national parks, Costa Rica has walking and hiking trails to suit all ages and fitness levels. From gentle paved trails to rugged tracks through the jungle, both parents and energetic kids can let off steam and experience the country. Hiring a guide is a good idea, as they'll point out hard-to-spot wildlife and teach you a lot about what you see. For an easy short walk, check out the well-kept trails in the ever-popular Manuel Antonio National Park, then go for a refreshing swim in the Pacific Ocean afterward. For a greater challenge with older kids, check out Carara National Park, west of capital San Jose. Like almost everywhere in the country, there is an abundance of bird and animal life. A hike there should take a few hours, but it's a fairly flat trail.
Toddlers can often enjoy sitting in a hiking carrier, but remember that Costa Rica's climate is hot and humid (although less so at higher altitudes), so parents may get uncomfortable carrying them for too long. Also take precautions for bugs and mosquitoes, as they are prevalent throughout much of the country.
6. Horseback Riding
Horseback riding tours are available throughout Costa Rica, from beaches to mountainous areas that are hard to reach by road. They're best suited to older kids, or at least those who have some experience with horses. TPG's Mommy Points enjoyed a two-hour horseback ride with her 8-year-old while staying at the Andaz Costa Rica last summer. While full-day excursions were available, the hotel helped find an option just 30 minutes from the resort.
Horseback treks can go where it's hard to get on your own two feet, such as up steep trails or across streams. When choosing a horse trek, seek out operators who live and breathe horses, take good care of their animals and who have suitable horses for different ages and levels of experience. Horse treks can range from a couple of hours to several days.
Bottom Line
Costa Rica is an adventure-lovers playground, and one that is genuinely interesting and appealing to both kids and their parents, making it the ideal destination for active family travelers. Of course, with the five-star resorts in the country, even those just looking to relax by the pool can be quite happy in Costa Rica. With Southwest's Companion Pass, parents can fly the entire family to Costa Rica and have money left over for even more adventure activities on the ground.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.